2012
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
TA B L E o f C O N T E N T S 04
O N T H E S TA G E
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IN THE CITY
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FROM THE LAB
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AMERICAN OPERA
2 2 PA R T N E R S H I P S 2 4 FA M I LY 26
THE FUTURE
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BECAUSE OF YOU
38 FINANCIALS 40
W H AT ’ S N E X T
BOARD of DIRECTORS OFFICERS
MEMBERS
DANIEL K. MEYER, M.D. Chairman
Benjamin Alexander Sandra K. Baldino F. Joshua Barnett, M.D., J.D. Willo Carey Nicholas E. Chimicles, Esq. Mark Hankin Frederick P. Huff Joel Koppelman David Kutch Beverly Lange, M.D. Ellen Berman Lee Gabriele W. Lee Peter Leone Stephen A. Madva, Esq. Thomas Mahoney Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. Agnes Mulroney Scott F. Richard Harold Rosenbluth Roberto Sella Stephen G. Somkuti, M.D. Jonathan H. Sprogell James B. Straw Alice W. Strine Kenneth R. Swimm Maria J. Trafton Charlotte Watts Donna Wechsler
FREDERICK P. HUFF Vice Chair JOEL M. KOPPELMAN Vice Chair ALICE W. STRINE Vice Chair SCOTT F. RICHARD Secretary THOMAS MAHONEY Treasurer STEPHEN A. MADVA, ESQ. Chairman Emeritus
HONORARY MEMBERS Dennis Alter Alan B. Miller
COVER: Kelly Kaduce and William Burden in the East Coast Premiere of Silent Night. Photo by Kelly & Massa. RIGHT: Patricia Schuman as the Duchess of Argyll in Powder Her Face. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN When I first became involved with the Opera in Philadelphia, I couldn’t have imagined that I would one day be Chairman of the Board. And I certainly never could have dreamed up a first year as eventful as the 2012-2013 Season turned out to be. That is one of the great beauties of opera—it is always surprising you! On behalf of the entire Board of Directors of the company now known as Opera Philadelphia, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your support of both the 2012-2013 Season and the future of opera in our great city. It was an extraordinary season of artistic and institutional accomplishments, made possible by a cast of thousands—dedicated staff; incredibly talented artists; strategic partners; an opera-loving city; and devoted supporters from our philanthropic community. On stage, it was a year of innovation. We began the season with an art-inspired La bohème in collaboration with The Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. What a thrill it was to see a rising star like Bryan Hymel, who trained right here in Philadelphia, share the stage with Renoir and Van Gogh! We also presented the East Coast Premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night, which catapulted Opera Philadelphia to the forefront of the development of new opera in our country, and received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. In March, we partnered with the Curtis Opera Theatre for Benjamin Britten’s Owen Wingrave, and in April we presented a charming Magic Flute to packed houses at the Academy of Music. We closed in June with a stunning new production of Thomas Adès’s Powder Her Face, featuring a virtuoso performance by Patricia Schuman as the Duchess. In the city, we hosted more than 2,000 kids and grownups at three Family Days at the Opera at the Academy of Music; nearly 3,000 guests for a free Opera on the Mall HD broadcast at Independence National Historical Park; and more than 5,000 school children in the award-winning Sounds of LearningTM educational program, a unique arts education experience that weaves the study of a current production into the core curriculum. Behind the scenes, we strengthened our commitment to the future of opera. Baritone Nathan Gunn joined the team as Director of the American Repertoire Council, a group committed to helping us bring new American opera—including five works currently under commission—to the stage in the next decade. We also witnessed the artistic growth of our two Composers in Residence, Lembit Beecher and Missy Mazzoli, who spent the season learning the ins and outs and ups and downs of bringing opera to the stage. And last but not least, this spectacular season was also our first under the leadership of David B. Devan as General Director. While David has been with us for more than six years now, the 2012-2013 Season was the first in which the business and artistic operations were united under his leadership. David and his team have taken the opera world by storm with their relentless pursuit to reinvent the ideal opera company right here in Philadelphia. In the pages ahead, David will take you through this season of reinvention beginning with how we changed our name and crafted a bold and original new look for the Opera. This 2012-2013 Annual Report is much more than a look back. It is a glimpse into our future, one that each of you made possible thanks to your tremendous support! Sincerely,
Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. Chairman
“ To mark general director David Devan’s growing focus on innovative repertory,
presentation and marketing, the former Opera Company of Philadelphia has
rebranded itself Opera Philadelphia.” OPERA NEWS
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General Director & President David B. Devan. Photo by Chris Sembrot.
This was the season we changed our name. But it was about so much more than just a name. It was a matter of only two words, but when we made the switch on January 29, 2013, it signaled a change that had been brewing for several years on South Broad Street and throughout the city. The name, the cursive of our new logo, the bold design of our website and printed materials, these were all signals that one of the country’s most venerable opera companies was able to adapt and embrace the new within a timeless art form. When I arrived in Philadelphia in 2006, the company was known for doing opera in the Academy of Music, but the team recognized that truly great opera did not have to be tethered in one opera house—even one as magnificent as the Academy. And so, over the years, with the guidance of Music Director Corrado Rovaris, Artistic Advisor Mikael Eliasen, and American Repertoire Council Director Nathan Gunn, we began to diversify—an annual co-production with the Curtis Institute of Music; The Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater; Random Acts of Culture; the world’s most comprehensive Composer in Residence Program; outdoor broadcasts in high definition. And we are constantly looking for new ways to create opera, new partners with which to create it, and new venues in which to create it. Our ultimate goal is to be a source of civic pride by creating opera in our city. That can mean the Academy of Music, the Perelman Theater, Verizon Hall, Independence Mall or a warehouse converted into a temporary performance space. Opera can find you in every facet of life. We are not a company in Philadelphia. We are Philadelphia. A number of people deserve thanks for helping us to define our strategic vision and launch our new brand, especially our Branding Committee Chair Joel Koppelman, Maureen Craig from Mo Strategy, and Caroline Kennedy and her team of strategists, marketers, designers and writers at the Karma Agency. They helped us change our name and to see that the Opera is about more than just a name. Here’s what it’s all about…
D AV I D B . D E VA N GENERAL DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT
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IT’S ABOUT
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THE S TA G E “ Opera Philadelphia deserves praise not only for investigating offbeat styles but also for promoting opera of the post-Puccini variety.”
ALEX ROSS, THE NEW YORKER
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GIACOMO
PUCCINI
LA BOHÈME SEPTEMBER 28–OCTOBER 7, 2012 ACADEMY OF MUSIC
“ An absolute success, full of fine singing and acting and eye-filling
stage direction in this romanticized slice of life of struggling artists in late 19th-century Paris.”
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
“ The international-class performance was that of AVA-trained
Bryan Hymel as Rodolfo: ardent and lively onstage, Hymel produced a stream of healthy, ringing tone that… was exciting in its impact.”
OPERA NEWS
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Bryan Hymel as Rodolfo in La bohème. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
CAST NORAH AMSELLEM / Mimì BRYAN HYMEL* / Rodolfo TROY COOK / Marcello LEAH PARTRIDGE / Musetta CRAIG VERM* / Schaunard JEREMY MILNER / Colline KEVIN GLAVIN / Benoit/Alcindoro
C R E AT I V E T E A M CORRADO ROVARIS / Conductor DAVIDE LIVERMORE / Director & Set Design JORGE JARA* / Costume Design DREW BILLIAU / Lighting Design ELIZABETH BRADEN / Chorus Master D-WOK* / Video Design *Opera Philadelphia debut
PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS JOEL AND SHARON KOPPELMAN
ARTIST UNDERWRITERS MRS. JOHN P. MULRONEY AND ALICE AND WALTER STRINE (Orchestra) KENNETH B. AND PAMELA R. DUNN (Norah Amsellem and Bryan Hymel) MR. RICHARD B. WORLEY AND MS. LESLIE ANNE MILLER (Leah Partridge and Troy Cook) SCOTT F. AND ROBERTA C. RICHARD (Craig Verm) DRS. RENATO AND BEVERLY BASERGA (Corrado Rovaris) THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL (Creative Team)
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KEVIN
PUTS/MARK
CAMPBELL
SILENT NIGHT
FEBRUARY 8–17, 2013 | ACADEMY OF MUSIC
WINNER OF THE 2012 PULITZER PRIZE FOR MUSIC
“ A tautly paced and involving work… the academy was packed,
and the audience responded with a sustained ovation, especially for Mr. Puts and Mr. Campbell… this score, conducted with
supple pacing and vitality by Michael Christie, balances turmoil with introspection in a way that keeps drawing you into a story that could easily turn sentimental.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES
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William Burden, Kelly Kaduce and the cast of Silent Night, a co-production with The Minnesota Opera. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier.
CAST WILLIAM BURDEN / Nikolaus Sprink KELLY KADUCE / Anna Sørenson LIAM BONNER* / Lt. Audebert CRAIG IRVIN / Lt. Horstmayer GABRIEL PREISSER* / Lt. Gordon TROY COOK / Father Palmer ANDREW WILKOWSKE* / Ponchel ZACH BORICHEVSKY* / Jonathan Dale BRANDON CEDEL / William Dale ALBERT J. GLUECKERT* / Kronprinz
C R E AT I V E T E A M MICHAEL CHRISTIE* / Conductor ERIC SIMONSON* / Director FRANCIS O’CONNER* / Set Design KÄRIN KOPISCHKE* / Costume Design MARCUS DILLIARD* / Lighting Design ANDRZEJ GOULDING* / Projection Design C. ANDREW MAYER* / Sound Design DAVID ZIMMERMAN* / Wig & Make-Up Design *Opera Philadelphia debut
PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS THE WYNCOTE FOUNDATION MS. BARBARA AUGUSTA TEICHERT Additional Production Support provided by: THE PEW CENTER FOR ARTS & HERITAGE THROUGH THE PHILADELPHIA MUSIC PROJECT NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS; THE JACOB BURNS FOUNDATION, INC.
ARTIST UNDERWRITERS MRS. JOHN P. MULRONEY AND ALICE AND WALTER STRINE (Orchestra) SANDRA BALDINO (Kelly Kaduce) JUDY AND PETER LEONE (William Burden) MR. PETER BENOLIEL AND MS. WILLO CAREY (Liam Bonner)
MR. AND MRS. FREDERICK P. HUFF (Craig Irvin) MR. AND MRS. JOHN D. ROLLINS (Andrew Wilkowske) GABRIELE LEE (Eric Simonsen) DR. AND MRS. ANDREW WECHSLER (Zach Borichevsky) MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL (Gabriel Preisser)
MARGUERITE AND GERRY LENFEST (Brandon Cedel and Thomas Schivone)
DRS. RENATO AND BEVERLY BASERGA (Corrado Rovaris)
THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL (Creative Team)
DRS. RENATO AND BEVERLY BASERGA (Corrado Rovaris)
CURTIS
OPERA
THEATRE
BENJAMIN
BRITTEN
OWEN W I N G R AV E M A R C H 1 3 – 1 7 , 2 0 1 3 | P E R E L M A N T H E AT E R
“ Curtis Opera Theatre’s annual Perelman Theater outings
have become local must-see events for serious operagoers. ” OPERA NEWS
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Julien Arsenault as Owen Wingrave. Photo by David Swanson.
CAST JULIAN ARSENAULT / JAMEZ MCCORKLE Owen Wingrave JAZMINA MACNEIL / NIAN WANG Kate Julian ANDREW BOGARD / ANTHONY REED Spencer Coyle SHIR ROZZEN / Miss Wingrave RACHEL STERRENBERG / Mrs. Coyle ANNA DAVIDSON / Mrs. Julian ROY HAGE / General Sir Philip Wingrave SPENCER LANG / Lechmere JARRETT OTT / Narrator MEMBERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA BOYS CHOIR
C R E AT I V E T E A M GEORGE MANAHAN / Conductor DANIEL FISH / Director LAURA JELLINEK / Set Design TILLY GRIMES / Costume Design MARK BARTON / Lighting Design ANDREW LAZAROW / Video Design
PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS WYNCOTE FOUNDATION DOLFINGER-MCMAHON FOUNDATION HORACE W. GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS THE WILLIAM PENN FOUNDATION
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WOLFGANG
AMADEUS
MOZART
THE MAGIC FLUTE
APRIL 19–28, 2013 | ACADEMY OF MUSIC
“ The most enjoyable Flute I’ve seen in decades.” OPERA NEWS
“ This production is visually stunning… Mark Stone’s Papageno is alone worth the price of admission.”
B R O A D WAY W O R L D
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Mark Stone as Papageno in a production of The Magic Flute originally created for the Canadian Opera Company. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
CAST ANTONIO LOZANO / Tamino ELIZABETH ZHAROFF / Pamina RACHELE GILMORE* / Queen of the Night JORDAN BISCH*/ Sarastro MARK STONE / Papageno SARAH SHAFER* / Papagena BEN WAGER / Sprecher DEVON GUTHRIE*/ First Lady TAMMY COIL / Second Lady KATHERINE PRACHT* / Third Lady JOSEPH GAINES* / Monostatos
C R E AT I V E T E A M CORRADO ROVARIS / Conductor DIANE PAULUS* / Production ASHLIE CORCORAN* / Director MYUNG HEE CHO* / Set & Costume Design DREW BILLIAU / Lighting Design ELIZABETH BRADEN / Chorus Master *Opera Philadelphia debut
PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS THE HORACE W. GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR: MACY’S
ARTIST UNDERWRITERS MRS. JOHN P. MULRONEY AND ALICE AND WALTER STRINE (Orchestra)
CHUCK AND ANNETTE PENNONI (Tammy Coil)
MR. AND MRS. JAMES B. STRAW (Elizabeth Zharoff)
NICHOLAS AND KATHLEEN CHIMICLES (Rachele Gilmore)
THOMAS MAHONEY (Mark Stone)
DR. AND MRS. MORTON MANDELL (Ben Wager)
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THOMAS
ADÈS
POWDER H E R FA C E
J U N E 7 – 1 6 , 2 0 1 3 | P E R E L M A N T H E AT E R “ A gorgeous triumph… Opera Philadelphia pulled
off its greatest piece of work this season, and perhaps in several seasons.”
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
“ N ew music is always a risky venture, and the forces behind Aurora have bravely, and as it
turns out wisely, chosen repertoire that does not pander to a common denominator.”
P H I L A D E L P H I A C I T Y PA P E R
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A journalist (Ashley Emerson) interviews the Duchess of Argyll (Patricia Schuman) in the Company Premiere and New Production of Powder Her Face. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
CAST PATRICIA SCHUMAN / Margaret, Duchess of Argyll BEN WAGER / The Hotel Manager ASHLEY EMERSON* / The Maid CHRISTOPHER TIESI / The Electrician
C R E AT I V E T E A M CORRADO ROVARIS / Conductor WILLIAM KERLEY / Director TOM ROGERS* / Set & Costume Design DAVID HOWE* / Lighting Design ANNE NESMITH* / Wig & Make-Up Design *Opera Philadelphia debut
PRODUCTION UNDERWRITER WYNCOTE FOUNDATION
ARTIST UNDERWRITERS MRS. JOHN P. MULRONEY AND ALICE AND WALTER STRINE (Orchestra)
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“ If seeing an opera has been on your bucket list
but you aren’t ready to commit to the experience… here’s a perhaps less intimidating option.”
THE DOYLESTOWN INTELLIGENCER
IT’S ABOUT
THE CITY One of the primary reasons we changed our
This past year also saw the research and
name to Opera Philadelphia was our belief
development stage of an exciting new series
that great opera doesn’t have to be tethered to
titled Opera in the City, in which we will
an opera house. Opera can discover you, too,
offer a fully staged opera in an unexpected
right where you are. Our goal is to bring
venue, diversifying operatic experiences
Opera and Philadelphia together. That can
for Philadelphia audiences. That series will
mean a blockbuster title in the Academy
launch in November with the Serbian a
of Music, a chamber work in the Perelman
cappella opera Svadba–Wedding at the new
Theater, or something else entirely.
FringeArts building along the Delaware River.
We have been very fortunate to have a great partner in the Knight Foundation, who believes you should encounter art wherever you go. This was our second season in which we broadcast our Opening Night performance in high definition to a giant outdoor audience
I am grateful to Dennis Scholl, Vice President/ Arts, at the Knight Foundation, who believes that by bringing artists out of the traditional performance hall and into new spaces, Opera Philadelphia will continue to engage new audience members.
at Independence National Historical Park.
In every facet of life, in every corner of our
Some 3,000 Philadelphians enjoyed La
city, opera can find you. That is what the
bohème in the shadow of Independence
name ‘Opera Philadelphia’ truly means.
Hall, in a broadcast supported by the Knight Foundation. We also celebrated our 80th Knight Foundation Random Act of Culture on September 15, as more than 300 musicians and dancers from five states entertained a delighted crowd at Amtrak’s 30th Street Station with a performance of the “O Fortuna” chorus from Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. It was thrilling to see travelers unexpectedly encounter our opera company while passing through Philadelphia.
“ For many reasons,
Philadelphia has some of the richest operatic DNA in America.”
WQXR
TOP: Philadelphians gather for Opera on the Mall. Photo by Kelly & Massa. BOTTOM LEFT: Jacqueline Woodley as Milica in the Svadba-Wedding World Premiere, Toronto, June 2011. Photo: John Lauener. BOTTOM RIGHT: General Director & President David B. Devan with performers following a Random Act of Culture at 30th Street Station. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
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IT’S ABOUT
C R E AT I V I T Y One of the great joys of my job as General Director of Opera Philadelphia is working with composers who are just entering the field of opera. The public rarely sees this “research and development” work,
but it is some of the most rewarding aspects of what we do. Throughout the season, I spent a lot of time
with our two young Composers in Residence, Lembit Beecher and Missy Mazzoli. These two incredibly talented musicians have been learning about all aspects of creating opera – taking voice lessons,
writing librettos, taking part in the rehearsal process and more – in a hands-on program designed to help
them create future operatic masterpieces. It has been a joy to help foster their development as artists along with our partners at Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group of New York.
“ M y second year of the Composer in Residence program
was focused on writing, beginning with an intense workshop
in Canada where I wrote four scenes with different librettists over the per iod of ten day s! For much of the year I have
been working with Gotham Chamber Opera on a 30-minute chamber opera, I Have No Stories to Tell You, which will be a companion piece to Monte verdi ’s I l Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda. T he double bil l wil l premiere next
February at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has been a
wonderful experience to be involved in so many stages of opera development—the initial conception, libretto writing, casting, writing and initial workshops. I have realized how important
it is for me as the composer to have strong initial ideas that
others in the creative team can react to. But second, I am struck
with how much the composer relies on others to help make the work take shape. This feeling is actually an empowering one, knowing how many talented, professional and caring people are taking this creative journey with me.”
LEMBIT BEECHER, COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE 18
Lembit and Missy were on hand in early December when Philadelphia-based, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon treated us to our first live performances of excerpts from her first opera,
Cold Mountain, which is based on Charles Frazier’s Civil War-era novel. One of the most anticipated
new works in our American Repertoire Program, Cold Mountain, makes its world premiere in Santa Fe in 2015 before coming to the Academy of Music in February 2016.
Artistic Advisor Mikael Eliasen facilitated a weeklong workshop with the talented singers of the Curtis
Opera Theatre, culminating in the live performance. There was no indication at all that this is Jennifer’s first opera. It is fresh. It doesn’t sound like anything else. It is so perfectly written for the voice it’s like she has been writing opera her whole career!
I cannot wait until audiences get to hear Jennifer’s work as well as the music that Lembit and Missy are writing. The future of opera is in good hands!
T h e C o m p o s e r i n R e s i d e n c e P r o g r a m i s m a d e p o s s i b l e b y T h e A n d r e w W. M e l l o n Fo u n d a t i o n .
“ I n my first year as Opera P hiladelphia's Composer in Residence, my knowledge
and appreciation of opera has expanded
exponentially. My biggest ‘wow ’ moment came during the fantastic production of
Thomas Adès's Powder Her Face in June.
While listening to a rehearsal of this incredibly complex work I felt that opera was no longer a mystery; I felt that I could finally hear
through all the layers and understand what made the piece truly work. This moment of
understanding, while admittedly vague and a
little hard to describe, is crucial to my feeling that I could also tackle a huge opera, and it
would not have been possible without the last
twelve months of intense study and observation that Opera Philadelphia provided.”
MISSY MAZZOLI, COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE
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IT’S ABOUT
AMERICAN OPERA
“ T hey’re increasingly taking chances, offering unusual and new work along with repertory staples, and carving out a place for themselves as proponents of American opera.” THE WASHINGTON POST
It was a thrilling year for the American Repertoire Program, our commitment to produce a new American work in ten consecutive seasons. In September, we welcomed the amazing baritone Nathan Gunn to our team as Director of the American Repertoire Council, and he quickly went to work assembling a brilliant group of advisors for the council. We held our first meeting in February, the day after our gala celebration of new operatic work, and it was a fascinating day filled with creative energy and ideas for bringing new opera to Philadelphia. Those of you who joined us at the Gala know what an exciting time it is for the future of American operatic work. At that event, we heard live performances of new music from Oscar by Theodore Morrison, slated for the Academy of Music in 2015; and Cold Mountain by Jennifer Higdon. One week later, we produced the East Coast Premiere of the Pulitzer Prizewinning Silent Night, by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell. It was such a treat to see the Academy packed for a new opera and to watch Kevin and Mark react to how Philadelphia warmly embraced their work. Next season, in the Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater, we will produce the East Coast Premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s A Coff in in Egypt, starring the beloved Frederica von Stade. And there’s more to come! Philadelphia is blazing a trail, thanks to Nathan, the Council, and the incredible artistic team at Opera Philadelphia.
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The Silent Night chorus. Photo by Kelly & Massa.
“ I think it’s particularly appropriate that a city known for its revolutionary spirit has made this significant commitment to the future of American work.” N AT H A N G U N N
O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A’ S A M E R I C A N R E P E R T O I R E C O U N C I L LEMBIT BEECHER / Opera Philadelphia Composer in Residence ANNIE BURRIDGE / Senior Vice President, Institutional Advancement DAVID DEVAN / General Director & President MIKAEL ELIASEN / Artistic Advisor; Departmental Chair in Vocal Studies, Curtis Institute of Music YOUNGMOO KIM / Assistant Dean of Engineering for Media Technologies, Drexel University DAVID LAI / Conductor and Music Producer MISSY MAZZOLI / Opera Philadelphia Composer in Residence DANIEL K. MEYER M.D. / Chairman, Opera Philadelphia ZIZI MUELLER / President of Boosey & Hawkes classical music publishing company ERIC OWENS / Operatic Bass-Baritone DAVID HYDE PIERCE / Emmy and Tony Award-Winning Actor DAVID PITTSINGER / Operatic Bass-Baritone GUTHRIE P. RAMSEY, JR. / Professor of Music, University of Pennsylvania GENE SCHEER / Songwriter and Operatic Librettist PATRICIA SCHUMAN / Operatic Soprano
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“ It is a terrific formula, and bodes well for
attracting a newer and younger audience.� P H I L A D E L P H I A C I T Y PA P E R
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IT’S ABOUT
PA R T N E R S H I P S “The Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera Philadelphia have unveiled their first collaboration on a new production of Richard Strauss’ lusty one-act opera Salome.” T H E A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S This was certainly a season of ‘we.’ We opened with Puccini’s La bohème, made all the more colorful thanks to a partnership with The Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Impressionist masterpieces from the two museums came to vivid life on stage through animated, high definition projections, while others inspired the opera’s costumes and set design. The season continued with the East Coast Premiere of Silent Night, created in partnership between Opera Philadelphia’s American Repertoire Program and The Minnesota Opera’s New Works Initiative. One month later, Opera Philadelphia and the Curtis Opera Theatre teamed up for our sixth annual co-production in the Perelman Theater, Benjamin Britten’s Owen Wingrave. At Opera Philadelphia, we have been eager to enter partnerships that yield exciting and engaging new experiences for our audiences. Three different partnerships resulted in three uniquely innovative operas this past season, while offstage we moved forward with additional partnerships that will bring new projects to Philadelphia in future seasons. In April, Opera Philadelphia joined with Art Sanctuary to present Reading in Concert: Journey to Hip H’opera, a student event at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Originally launched in 2007, Hip H’opera is a collaborative, three-phase project that brings teaching artists and workshops to students and teachers in four Philadelphia high schools. Over the next three years, these students will be involved in the creation of an original, professionally-mounted opera inspired by their stories. The opera will be
written for and reflect the lives and concerns of today ’s urban youth. April 30 was an exciting next step in the program, as composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph, the creative team behind Hip H’opera, performed with students in the program for an audience of hundreds of high school students. In March, I was proud to stand alongside Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and President & CEO Allison Vulgamore to announce next season’s first-ever artistic collaboration between the Opera and the Orchestra—a theatrically-inspired production of Richard Strauss’s provocative masterpiece, Salome. I am so ecstatic that two of Philadelphia’s iconic performing arts organizations will be sharing the stage of Verizon Hall in 2014. This partnership, like our many others, was born out of a genuine alignment between our companies’ shared artistic goals. Together, we will be creating an amazing moment of civic pride for our city.
ABOVE: General Director & President David B. Devan is flanked by Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Philadelphia Orchestra President & CEO Allison Vulgamore. Photo by Katherine Blodgett. TOP LEFT: Composer Daniel Bernard Roumain and librettist Marc Bamuthi Joseph perform for students at Reading in Concert: Journey to Hip H’opera. Photo from Art Sanctuary. BOTTOM LEFT: Scottish troops led by Lt. Gordon (Gabriel Preisser, center) in a scene from Silent Night. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier.
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IT’S ABOUT
FA M I LY “The pleasure of Family Day was all mine!
What a wonderful and inspiring day for Opera Philadelphia.” DAN DARIGAN
Opera Philadelphia is one big family, and this year we opened our home three times to all of our neighbors and their kids for PNC Arts Alive Family Day at the Opera. What a joy! Thousands of kids of all ages came to the Academy of Music to walk on the stage and check out the sets of our three Opera at the Academy productions: La bohème, Silent Night, and The Magic Flute. The activities were fun and educational. I loved watching children conduct the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra under the tutelage of Maestra Jeri Lynn Johnson of Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra. I laughed as little boys and girls wielded yellow foam swords and followed the moves of stage combat experts from the crew of Silent Night. Children were mesmerized by an interactive opera performance inspired by The Magic Flute, and they loved the fashion show of whimsical animal costumes from the Mozart classic. Many parents told me after these events that they had wanted to introduce their kids to the opera, but hadn’t yet due to perceived impediments like the foreign languages and the battle between lengthy performances and short attention spans. Family Day helped us to engage kids on their levels. And who knows, perhaps we even inspired a future diva or maestro!
“Our 3 year old loved the sword fighting event and our 7-year-old friend had a blast…with the conducting session. What a fine event, a great show, and a wonderful day!” DENINE GORNIAK 24
At PNC Arts Alive Family Day at the Opera, children enjoy a foam sword fight and conduct the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra. Photos by Dominic M. Mercier.
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Miles B. Davis, Principal Bass of the Opera Philadelphia Orchestra. Photo by Diane Mattis.
IT’S ABOUT
THE FUTURE One of my favorite memories from this past season happened on the afternoon of February 6, when composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell received a standing ovation from nearly 2,000 area students who attended the final dress rehearsal of Silent Night. For many students in
“ This was my first time ever experiencing an opera.
I thought that the opera was going to be kind of bland,
but it was actually very enjoyable. I enjoyed the singing a lot and the great acting of the characters. I hope to go again next year.”
the Academy of Music it was their first time at an
S A M , G R A D E 11
opera, and here they were, hooting and hollering
BRISTOL HIGH SCHOOL
for the artists who wrote it. This year, our award-winning Sounds of Learning™ program served nearly 5,300 students from 126 schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York and Maryland. More than 40 percent of total participants were from 51 schools in the
“ Our students have begun to see the opera as something
they can fully participate in, both as patrons and directly as part of the production. We are thrilled with the enrichment the Sounds of Learning™ brings to
School District of Philadelphia. For many students,
our curriculum.”
Sounds of Learning™ is their only access to the
M E G A N L AY D E N
arts, and in an environment of drastic cuts to arts
T H E D E PA U L C AT H O L I C S C H O O L
education, programs like this are needed now more than ever. Students attended the final dress rehearsals of La bohème, Silent Night, and The Magic Flute, and our community outreach and education staff reached nearly another 1,000 kids via in-school presentations from Cumberland County, NJ to Downingtown, PA. Some 22 organizations, including some colleges and
“ I am convinced that without this program, so many
young people would never accept the challenge on their own to see what opera really is all about.” ROSE MARIE TECCE ARCHBISHOP WOOD HIGH SCHOOL
homeschools, participated in Sounds of Learning™ for the first time this season. I could go on and on about why Opera Philadelphia has been working in schools for more than two decades and the importance of providing lesson plans and student activity books and transportation to the Academy at no cost for
“ W hat came as a complete and delightful surprise was a trio of 5th grade boys humming the Queen of the Night’s aria! Now that’s engagement!” JOYCE ARNOSKY PENN ALEXANDER SCHOOL
each opera. But instead of my words, I’d like to share the words of some of the teachers and students who joined us this season:
27
IT ’S BECAUSE OF YOU
28
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Board member Alice Strine and General Director David B. Devan. Friends of the Opera Ursula Redgrave and Jane Gee with bass-baritone Thomas Shivone. Young Friends Steve Oh and Patricia Blaho with Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris. Board Member and Co-Chair of the General Director’s Council Benjamin Alexander and his wife, Lorraine Alexander. Robert V. Taglieri, Board Member Ellen Berman Lee and Timothy J. Moir.
“ Opera Philadelphia is a special organization, from the productions on stage to the people behind the scenes. When you get involved with such a warm and kind group of people, helping them is rewarding in many ways.” BENJAMIN ALEXANDER BOARD MEMBER AND CO-CHAIR / GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL
This magical season could not have been achieved without you, the people who love and support Opera Philadelphia. Even when every seat in the house sells out, opera’s dazzling blend of theatrical, orchestral, and vocal splendor requires considerable fundraised support from within our community. It is no understatement: You are shaping the very future of opera in our city and in America.
29
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT & MAJOR GIFTS CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL Our most passionate followers happen to be the ones leading us to greatness. Opera Philadelphia’s Chairman’s Council is a dedicated group of philanthropists committed to ensuring that the future of opera is right here in Philadelphia. We are sincerely grateful to the following supporters, whose collective generosity underwrote more than half of our artistic expenses this season, including productions in the Academy of Music, the nationally lauded Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater, our annual Opening Night HD broadcast at Independence National Historical Park, and our award-winning education programs for children.
$1,000,000+
$50,000+
Wyncote Foundation
Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino
The William Penn Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Emilio Gravagno
Dow Chemical Company Foundation Independence Foundation
$500,000+
Ms. Lisa D. Kabnick and Mr. John H. McFadden
The Andrew
Joel and Sharon Koppelman
W. Mellon Foundation
$100,000+
Judy and Peter Leone Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Scott F. and Roberta C. Richard
Anonymous
$25,000+
The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Dr. Heidi L. Kolberg and Dr. F. Joshua Barnett
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest Mrs. John P. Mulroney National Endowment for the Arts The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, through the Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative and the Philadelphia Music Project The Presser Foundation
Drs. Renato and Beverly Baserga Mr. Peter Benoliel and Ms. Willo Carey Gray Charitable Trust Nicholas and Kathleen Chimicles Kenneth B. and Pamela R. Dunn Rita and Philip Harper Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Huff Jacob Burns Foundation, Inc. Ellen Berman Lee Gabriele Lee Stephen A. Madva and Denise C. Creedon Mr. Thomas Mahoney Samuel P. Mandell Foundation McLean Contributionship
Alice and Walter Strine
Annette and Chuck Pennoni
Ms. Barbara Augusta Teichert
PNC
The Pew Charitable Trusts Mr. Richard B. Worley and Ms. Leslie Anne Miller
30
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard J. Poussot Estate of Laurence T. Robbins Mr. and Mrs. James B. Straw Universal Health Services Wells Fargo Charlotte and Bob Watts
ANNUAL FUND SUPPORT The Annual Fund is the cornerstone of Opera Philadelphia’s fundraising efforts, generating more than $720,000 annually. In fiscal year 2013, gifts to the Annual Fund grew by 10 percent. This year’s outstanding results signify the generosity of the Opera Philadelphia community and the cumulative success of the volunteers who lead our Annual Fund programs. To get involved, visit operaphila.org/annual-giving.
This year, the Council’s activities included two Strategy Sessions led by Mr. Devan exploring the Opera’s strategic plan and artistic initiatives. The Council’s annual Dinner with Principal Artists was held after a matinee performance of Silent Night, where members enjoyed dining with leading cast members includinWilliam Burden, Kelly Kaduce, Liam Bonner, Craig Irvin, and Troy Cook.
PL ATIN UM
D IAM ON D
$15,000+
$10,000+
Judith Durkin Freyer
Mr. John R. Alchin and Mr. Hal Marryatt
Mr. and Mrs. David Glickstein Nancy and Al Hirsig
Lorraine and Ben Alexander
“ The Opera’s dedication to producing great operas in Philadelphia and providing innovative arts programming for the community makes it an important contributor to the quality of life in the region.”
Stephen T. Janick and Russell E. Palmer
Dr. Luther W. Brady Dianne and Don Cooney
Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and Joe Neubauer
David B. Devan and David A. Dubbeldam
Ms. Patricia S. Scott
Ady L. Djerassi, M.D. and Robert Golub, M.D.
KENNETH SWIMM, BOARD MEMBER & CO-CHAIR, GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL
Wells Fargo Private Bank
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler
Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hankin Mrs. Constance C. Moore
GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL B ENJA M I N A L E X A N D E R & KE NNE T H SW IMM, C O- C H A I RS
The General Director’s Council is made up of donors committed to helping General Director David B. Devan ensure the ongoing success of Opera Philadelphia. Council members enjoy exclusive events with artists and insider details on the Opera’s future artistic plans and initiatives.
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rollins Mr. and Mrs. Harold Rosenbluth Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Sella Dr. Stephen G. Somkuti Mr. Jonathan H. Sprogell and Ms. Kathryn Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Swimm TOP TO BOTTOM: Board Member Peter Leone, tenor William Burden and Chairman’s Council member Judy Leone; Chairman’s Council members Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest with Chairman Emeritus Stephen A. Madva; Bass Ben Wager and Chairman’s Council member Keith Straw; Chairman’s Council members Rita and Philip Harper LEFT: General Director’s Council members Linda and David Glickstein with soprano Patricia Schuman (center). RIGHT: Judy Freedman, Kevin Puts, Nathan Gunn and Allen Freedman at an event at the Freedmans’ home to celebrate Silent Night.
On January 24, 2013, Opera Philadelphia supporters joined some of New York’s most influential and committed opera patrons to preview and celebrate the East Coast Premiere of Silent Night. Guests enjoyed musical selections from the opera accompanied by composer Kevin Puts, as well as remarks by Nathan Gunn, Director of Opera Philadelphia’s American Repertoire Council, in the spectacular New York City home of Patron Program members Allen and Judy Freedman.
B R ON ZE
PAT R O N P R O G R A M
$2,000+
D O NN A W ECHSL ER , C HA IR
The enthusiastic members of Opera Philadelphia’s Patron Program enjoy VIP benefits and privileges throughout the season including Champagne Intermission Receptions, travel opportunities, and intimate social events with the stars!
Anonymous James and Nancy Abbott Drs. Ronald D. and Marcia Abraham
Official Sponsor of Opera Philadelphia’s Patron Program
Highlights of the 2012-2013 Patron Program events include Season Prelude, which featured a preview recital of the upcoming season followed by a gourmet dinner; the Director’s Salon, offering a recital and talk with Silent Night librettist Mark Campbell and baritone Troy Cook at the home of James and Keith Straw; and the Meet the Artists reception with the cast of Powder Her Face, hosted by Patron Program Chair Donna Wechsler.
“ The education I have received in my years of involvement has been incredible. My understanding of all opera has become more mature as a consequence of my connection with Opera Philadelphia.” DONNA WECHSLER, BOARD MEMBER AND CHAIR,
Mr. John Aglialoro and Ms. Joan Carter
Mr. and Mrs. David G. Marshall B.A. (Mackie) and Charlotte MacLean
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Bazelon Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bergen Mr. Allen D. Black and Mr. Randolph Apgar Ms. Carolyn L. Green and Mr. Michael T. Blakeney
Anna C. O’Riordan, M.D. Eliana Papadakis
Stacey Spector and Ira Brind
Beatrice Pitcairn
Robert Bryan and Julie J. Bryan
Ms. Harriet Potashnick and Mr. Marshall Levine
Ms. Annie Burridge and Mr. Paul Richichi
Kelley S. Reilly
Georgette Ciukurescu
Dr. and Mrs. A. Gerald Renthal
Joan and Frederick Cohen
David Richards
Dr. Richard Davidson
Mr. David Sacker and Ms. Darcy Hayes
Drs. Jean and Robert Belasco
Ben and Nancy Hayllar
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Block
Mrs. Gretel Hellendall
The CHG Charitable Trust
Mrs. Sheila Kessler
William and Nadine Haines
OPERA America
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence O. Houstoun
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Donald and Gay Kimelman
Ms. Carolyn Horn Seidle
Mr. William A. Loeb
William and Joan Goldstein
Mr. and Mrs. Jay H. Tolson
Dr. Stanley Muravchick and
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Graham, IV
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation Barbara M. Donnelly and Dr. Lamberto Bentivoglio Drs. Bruce and Toby Eisenstein James Feussner MD, JD Sheila Fortune Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Allen Freedman Mr. and Mrs. David Friedman Jim and Kay Gately Mr. Robert H. Gerlach Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Goldfarb
Pauline Gray and Edward S. Barnard Dr. Valerie Arkoosh and Mr. Jeffrey Harbison
Joyce Seewald Sando Mr. and Mrs. Curtis E. Sawyer Drs. Daniel Schidlow and Sally Rosen Dr. and Mrs. Alan D. Schreiber Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sheller Dr. William Sigmund and Mr. Vito Izzo Ms. Dorothy M. Sopp Drs. Richard and Rhonda Soricelli Dr. Laura Stanton and Mr. Kim Tomlinson Ms. Kathleen Stephenson and Mr. James E. Colberg Ms. Kira Sterling and Mr. Timothy Sterling Dr. and Mrs. Michael D. Strong
David and Ann Harrison, Esqs.
Dr. and Mrs. Richard N. Taxin
Bruce and Robin Herndon
Irvin Borowsky and Laurie Wagman
Ms. Rhoda K. Herrold Victor and Joan Johnson Mr. Stephen Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams
Mr. Jeffrey Jowett
Ethel Benson Wister
The Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Arts Education Fund William Lake Leonard, Esq.
32
David and Susan Rattner
Drs. Judith and Jeffrey Carpenter
Mr. Robert Devoe
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Wiener
Denise and Volker Oakey
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Bohn
Mr. and Mrs. Harris C. Aller, Jr.
Mr. Timothy Moir
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Mintun Mr. Gresham O’Malley, III
Mr. and Mrs. Julian A. Brodsky
Mr. Robert Taglieri and
Ms. Evalind Minor
Beaty Bock and Jonathan Miller
Anonymous (2)
Bud and Betty Shapiro
Deborah Glass and Leonard Mellman
Dr. Claire Boasi
Barra Foundation, Inc.
Dr. Renée Rollin
Dr. and Mrs. Michael B. Love
Frances and Michael Baylson
$5,000+
Dr. and Mrs. Joel Porter
Mr. Wayne R. Lorgus Harriet and Shelly Margolis
$7,500+
Mr. and Mrs. R. Anderson Pew
William Lockwood
Myron and Sheila S. Bassman
SI LVER
Tom and Jody O’Rourke
Liddy and John Lindsay
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Anderson
GO L D
Ms. Arlene Olson
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lewis
Maribeth and Steven Lerner
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Wheatley Dr. Leah Whipple Drs. Anne and Jim Williamson Ana-Maria Zaugg and David Anstice
FRIENDS OF THE OPERA J OA N GOL DST EIN, C HA IR
The Friends of the Opera are essential contributors to Opera Philadelphia and enjoy an enhanced connection to the Opera with behind-the-scenes opportunities including backstage tours, dress rehearsal access, and enlightening educational programs. The signature event of the Friends calendar was the Friends Vocal Recital and Appreciation Reception, which took place at the Curtis Institute of Music and honored the Robert B. Driver Legacy Fund. Other Friends activities included the General Director’s Backstage Tour of the Academy of Music and five Between the Notes lectures offering members an in-depth understanding of each of the Season’s productions.
PA RT N E R
SUSTAI NER
$1,000+
$500+
Anonymous (2)
Anonymous (2)
Mr. and Mrs. William W. Heilig
Mr. Frederic L. Pryor
Dorothy and Stanley Abelson
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald M. Agulnick
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Helverson
Ms. Susan Asplundh
Ms. Lydia Alvarez (in memory of Isabelle M. Ferguson)
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Hill
Ms. Cheryl Gunter and Mr. Paul A. Rabe
Terry and Paul Hirshorn
Ursula and Bert Redgrave
Anne M. and William B. Carey
Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Asplundh
Dr. and Mrs. Howard E. Hudson
Mr. Philmore Robertson and Ms. Kathryn Caywood
Mrs. Mary E. Chomitz and Mr. Morton A. Collier
Brian, Theresa, and Max Baker
Marjorie and Joel Jensen
Dr. and Mrs. Paul Batastini
Jeremi Conaway
Drs. Deidre and Michael Blank
Dr. Frank Craparo
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bohen
Mark Duckett and Stan Gaddy Lois and John Durso
Belinda S. Manning and David C. Bowman
Mr. John H. Erickson and Mr. Harry I. Zaleznik
Dr. John F. Bayley Drs. Hester and Martin Black
Ms. Aileen M. Kennedy Mr. and Mrs. Edward Kennedy
Dr. Keith M. Robinson Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Ross
Mr. and Mrs. Richard P. Kluft
Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. Sachs
Jack Kolpen and Beth Ann Wahl Kolpen
Dr. Margot Savoy Henry and Yumi Scott
Mr. Nicholas Kouletsis and Mr. Jeffrey Zarnoch
Dr. and Mrs. Paul Shaman
Dr. and Mrs. Murray Brand Mr. Will Sears Bricker II
Ms. Dolores S. Kuenzel
Mr. James L. Smith
Ms. Juliet J. Goodfriend and Dr. Marc R. Moreau
Lynn and Jerri Burket
Lucinda and Charles Landreth
Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Thomas
Mr. and Mrs. R. Nelson Byrne
Mr. Peter Lane
Dr. and Mrs. Henry J. Greenwood and Ms. Marilyn Greenwood
Mr. Michael F. Cade and Mr. Mayron Lizardo Lopez Ruiz
Dr. and Mrs. J. Frederick Laucius
Katarzyna & Edward Tobe, Natalie Lessey
Madeleine and James Carlson
Mr. and Mrs. George S. Leone
Dr. and Mrs. Rocco P. Triolo
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur J. Grugan
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Vale
Dr. Brett Gutsche
Dr. Berit Carlson
Mr. and Mrs. Murray S. Levin
Ms. Lynne Van Buskirk
Dr. Mark Hemling and Mr. John Marrazzo
Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Chase
Mr. and Mrs. David Levy David and Cheska Levy
Ms. Laura Ward and Mr. David Newmann
Hannah L. Henderson
Mr. Patrick Connolly and Ms. Karen Carvalho
Cheryl Lawson and Jennifer Higdon
Drs. Fred and Karen Clark
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Conrad
Linda E. Howard
Mr. Mark Cornish
Dr. and Mrs. Leonid Hrebien
Mr. Peter S. Cressman
Dr. Richard B. Kent
Dr. Adrian Dana
Mary Louise Krumrine
Mr. and Mrs. Claude DeBotton
Fran and Leon L. Levy Merle and Marvin Levy
Mr. James J. Donohue Esq. and Ms. Carol Mager
Mr. Andrew Mulroney
Pamela Drexel
Ms. Christine L. Mulroney
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fiorenza
Dr. and Mrs. A. H. Nishikawa
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Foehl
Mr. Steve Oh and Ms. Patricia Blaho
Ms. Helen H. Ford
Mr. Kenneth Paterson
Jane Gleim Gee
Dr. Mary R. W. Reardon
Mr. Andrew R. Gelber (in memory of Sylvia Gelber)
Michael Sanyour and Laurada Byers
Mr. and Mrs. Randall P. Gaboriault
Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Gillen, Jr.
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sharrar
Eileen Grycky and Michael Keller
Dr. and Mrs. Robert G. Somers
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hagner
Mr. Thomas C. Woodward
Mr. Timothy Harris
Ann Csink and John Linck Mr. and Mrs. John A. Lorenzo Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Lukens Dr. Colin F. MacKay Dr. & Mrs. Larry Mapow Ms. Alexis M. Berg and Dr. Joel Marmar Edward and Roberta Martin Dwight and Christina McCawley Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey McCoach Mr. Benjamin F. Minick Dr. Brian Mohr Mr. C.J. Moore
Dorothy Alexis Smith
Ms. Carol A. Westfall Mr. and Mrs. Peter Whatnell Mr. Robert Yonaitis Dr. Sook Hee Lee Yoo and Dr. John Yoo LEFT: Donna Wechsler, Board Member and Chair of the Patron Program, with actor and American Repertoire Council member David Hyde Pierce. RIGHT: Stephen Dubiel, Kathy Hanrahan, Aaron Ross, General Director & President David B. Devan, Dorothy Hanrahan, Catherine Haas and Jonathan Arena.
Mr. and Mrs. George Morris Mr. and Mrs. David Moskowitz Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Moskowitz Kay and Jeremiah O’Grady Mr. Shaun O’Malley and Ms. Lyn Buchheit Mr. and Mrs. Mario Palumbi Dr. and Mrs. William P. Potsic
33
ENCORE SOCIETY Opera Philadelphia is honored to recognize those who have included the Opera in their estate plans with membership in the Encore Society. Planned and deferred gifts help to ensure the advancement of opera in Philadelphia by directly funding the company’s future artistic and educational programming, and Encore Society members ensure that opera will have a bright future in our city. Not only can these gifts provide potential exemptions from Estate, Capital Gains, and/or Income Taxes*, but in making these commitments, members can be comforted in knowing that they will leave lasting legacies that will support the art they care most about. Opera Philadelphia was thrilled to welcome six new members to the Encore Society this season, and we are truly honored to be able to celebrate their extraordinary future commitments with them today. Encore Members enjoy special benefits throughout the season including invitations to Season Prelude and the annual Encore Society luncheon. This year’s luncheon was held at XIX Restaurant and featured brief financial planning presentation from representatives from Wells Fargo Private Bank as well as a recital from The Magic Flute baritone Mark Stone. To learn more, please visit operaphila.org/encore-society. *Please consult your financial and/or legal advisors for the legal requirements and tax advantages specific to these gifts.
EN CORE SOCIET Y MEMB ER S Anonymous (3)
Mr. William A. Loeb
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Alexander
Mrs. Lois Meyers
Ms. Jane A. Berryman
Mr. William Reily*
Dr. Claire Boasi
Dr. Scott F. Richard
Constance G. Burton*
Mr. Laurence T. Robbins*
Dr.* and Mrs. Elaine Cassalia
Morton F. Steelman*
Ms. Ginny L. Coyle
Ms. Lee Steinberg
Dr. Kenneth R. Cundy
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Covello
Ester C. Weil*
Ms. Virginia del Sordo*
Mrs. Charlotte Watts
Mr. Robert Devoe
Mr. George P. White*
Ms. Harriet Forman* Ms. Sylvia Green* Mrs. Gail Hauptfuhrer Dr. Mark H. Haller* Mr. Stephen T. Janick Mrs. Sheila Kessler Dr. and Mrs. Paul Krueger Reneé T. Levin
*Deceased
TOP: Encore Society members Benjamin Alexander and Sheila Kessler with baritone Mark Stone at the Encore Society luncheon. BOTTOM: Baritone Craig Irvin with Leslie Huff and Vice Chairman Frederick Huff. RIGHT: Renee Chenault-Fattah, the Honorable Chaka Fattah and General Director’s Council member Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer.
34
C O R P O R AT E C O U N C I L S E ASON SPONSOR S
SOUNDS OF LEARNING™ FUNDERS Alpin J. and Alpin W. Cameron Memorial Fund Deluxe Corporation Foundation Eugene Garfield Foundation
Official Airline
GlaxoSmithKline Hamilton Family Foundation The Hirsig Family Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation Lincoln Financial Foundation
Official Automobile Dealership
Louis N. Cassett Foundation The McLean Contributionship Morgan Stanley Foundation Mutual Fire Foundation*
Official Hotel
The Presser Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation
C OU N CIL M E MB ER S
Universal Health Services*
Bank of America
* O pe ra Philade lphia is e spe cially grate ful to busine sse s who par ticipate in the Com m onwe alth of Pe nnsylvania’s Educat i o nal Im prove m e nt Tax Cre dit (EITC) program , which grants lu c ra tive tax cre dits to e ligible busine sse s that donate to appr o v ed e ducational program s like Sounds of Le arning™.
Center City Film and Video Cunningham Piano Company and Factory Debra Malinics Advertising Ray Donovan Dow Chemical Company Evantine Design Exeleon Business Services Fox Rothschild LLP Kalnin Graphics the karma agency Loews Philadelphia Hotel Macy’s Menchey Music Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads, LLP Moonstruck Restaurant PNC Savona Restaurant Termini Bros. Bakery Trattoria San Nicola Varalli Restuarant Wells Fargo
LIKE facebook.com/operaphila FOLLOW @operaphila on twitter
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G A L A C E L E B R AT E S A N EW NA M E & N EW OPE R AT I C WOR K On Saturday, February 2, Opera Philadelphia hosted N.O.W.: A Gala Celebration of New Operatic Work at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. This dazzling evening celebrated the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night and the American Repertoire Program, Opera Philadelphia’s commitment to produce an American work in each of ten consecutive seasons, as well as the numerous groundbreaking initiatives recently launched by the Opera. The gala’s 250 guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, silent and live auctions, and musical performances from Opera Philadelphia’s newest operas. The event raised more than $150,000 for Opera Philadelphia. Credit goes to co-chairs Anderson and Daria Pew and the Gala Committee whose time, passion, and expertise made it a celebration to remember. Special thanks to Premier Sponsors Rita and Philip Harper, Dr. Daniel K. Meyer, and Frederick R. Haas; Contributors Wells Fargo, Peter A. Benoliel and Willo Carey; and Benefactors Nicholas and Kathleen Chimicles; the Independence Foundation, and Judy and Peter Leone.
TOP TO BOTTOM: Opera Philadelphia General Director David B. Devan and Silent Night librettist Mark Campbell with Barbara A. Teichert, Production Underwriter for Silent Night, Chairman Daniel K. Meyer, and Silent Night composer Kevin Puts. Peter A. Benoliel and his wife, Board member Willo Carey, with baritone Liam Bonner, who they underwrote in the role of Lt. Audebert in Silent Night. Board member Maria Trafton with her husband, Jack Trafton. General Director David B. Devan, baritone Nathan Gunn, Director of Opera Philadelphia’s American Repertoire Council, N.O.W. Co-Chairs R. Anderson Pew and his wife Daria, actor David Hyde Pierce, member of Opera Philadelphia’s American Repertoire Council, and Opera Philadelphia Chairman Daniel K. Meyer. Sharon Koppelman, Vice Chairman Joel M. Koppelman, with Georgette Ciukurescu and Eliana Papadakis. Photos by Sofia Negron.
OPERA PHILADELPHIA A D M I N I S T R AT I O N LEADERSHIP
ADMINISTRATION
PRODUCTION
DAVID B. DEVAN
KE N SM I T H
A L E X A ND E R FA R I NO
Ge n e ra l D i r e cto r & P r es i d ent
A s s i s tant to Gen e ral Dir ec tor & Boar d R elat ion s C oor din ator
P r odu c t ion M an age r
MAU RI C E M A R I E T T I
Te chn ic al P r odu c t ion M an age r
CORRADO ROVA RIS J a c k M ulr o n e y M us i c D i r ecto r
MIKAEL ELIAS EN A r t i s t i c A d vi s o r
NATHAN GUNN D i r e c to r, A me r i c a n R epe r to i r e Co unci l
G ARY H. GANS K Y C hi e f F i n a n c i a l O f f i c e r & S e n i o r V i c e P r e si d e n t
A NNIE BURRIDGE S e n i o r V i c e P r e si d e n t , Ins ti t uti o nal A d va n ce m e n t
DAVID S . LEVY S e n i o r V i c e P r e si d e n t , A r ti s ti c O pe rati o ns
MICHAEL BOLTON V i c e P r e si d e n t o f Co m m uni t y P r o g ram s
MUSIC MICHAEL EBERHARD A r t i s t i c A d m i n i s t ra to r
K YLE BARTLETT Ne w Wo rk s A d mi n i s t rato r
E L IZABETH BRADE N C ho r us M a ste r
J. ROBERT LOY D i r e c to r o f O r che s t ra Pe r s o nnel & O r che s t ra L i b ra r i a n
COLLEEN HOOD M usi c Sta f f A s si s ta n t
LEMBIT BEECHER C o m po s e r i n Re s i d e n ce
Pe r s o nnel M an age r
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT C H RIST I NA D E E M E R D i r ecto r of A n n u al Givin g
RYAN L E W I S D i r ecto r of M arket in g
FRAN K L UZ I D i r ecto r of C ommu n ic at ion s
DREW BILLIAU C H R I S T O P H E R H A NE S Te chn ic al Dir ec tor
MILLIE HIIBEL C ost u me Dir ec tor
E L I Z A B E T H L A R S E N- S I LVA P r odu c t ion C oor din ator
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS A D R I E NNE B I S H O P C ommu n it y P r og rams A ssistan t
L U C Y CL E M E NS D i r ecto r of A u die n c e Se r vic e s
FINANCE
ADE L E B E T Z
M A UR E E N M C H A L E
D i r ecto r of Even t s
J E N N IF E R D UB I N A s s oci ate Dir ec tor, A n n u al Fu n d & D e vel o pmen t Se r vic es
DE RRE N A . M A NG UM Manage r of I n st it u t ion al Givin g
L AU RE N A NC O NA Manage r of M arke t in g Techn olog y
RAC H E L M C C A US L A ND
Se n ior Ac c ou n tan t
COUNSEL M O NT G O M E RY, M C C R A C KEN, WA L K E R & R H O A D S L L P Gen e ral C ou n sel
FOX, ROTHSCHILD, O ’ B R I E N & F R A NK E L Spec ial C ou n sel
Manage r, Re sear ch & Spe c ial Gif t s
MIC H A E L K NI G H T A s s i s tant Dir e c tor, A u die n c e Se r vic e s and G r ou p S ales
KE V IN G I F F O R D D o no r S e r vic es C oor din ator
MIS S Y MAZZOLI C o m po s e r i n Re s i d e n ce
37
O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A S TAT E M E N T O F F I N A N C I A L P O S I T I O N May 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011
ASSETS
2013
2012
2011
$3,057,851
$3,542,278
$2,815,057
CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents Unconditional promises to give
2,832,304
2,466,146
3,495,721
Prepaid expenses and other
1,107,481
660,110
250,936
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
6,997,636
6,668,534
6,561,714
151,915
85,597
83,815
3,536,962
3,538,438
525,574
Beneficial interest in remainder trust
266,531
254,428
242,875
Property and equipment, net
303,542
263,771
302,750
9,080
14,680
7,180
4,268,030
4,156,914
1,162,194
$11,265,666
$10,825,448
$7,723,908
$363,467
$332,986
$336,076
1,158,606
1,138,350
1,162,475
34,630
32,922
31,270
1,556,703
1,504,258
1,529,821
132,388
167,018
199,941
1,689,091
1,671,276
1,729,762
Investments Unconditional promises to give
Security deposits
TOTAL ASSETS
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable and accrued expenses Deferred revenue Note and mortgage payable, current portion
TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES N O N C U R R E N T L I A B I LT I E S Mortgage payable, net of current portion
NET ASSETS Unrestricted
2,212,435
2,041,494
1,370,117
Temporarily restricted
7,289,158
7,087,696
4,599,047
Permanently restricted
74,982
24,982
24,982
9,576,575
9,154,172
5,994,146
$11,265,666
$10,825,448
$7,723,908
TOTAL NET ASSETS
TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS 38
O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A S TAT E M E N T O F A C T I V I T I E S Ye a r s e n d M a y 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 , 2 0 1 2 a n d 2 0 1 1
O P E R AT I N G R E V E N U E S & S U P P O RT Ticket sales Contributions
2013
2012
2011
$2,492,256
$2,229,436
$2,300,776
7,113,679
6,982,276
6,550,684
Special events, net
160,542
147,034
165,836
Other income
105,796
105,992
183,365
605
(46)
1,981
9,872,878
9,464,692
9,202,642
Program services
7,852,552
7,242,652
6,919,280
Management and general
1,084,073
945,403
927,742
781,430
608,142
602,800
9,718,055
8,796,197
8,449,822
154,823
668,495
752,820
16,118
2,882
12,287
170,941
671,377
765,107
2,041,494
1,370,117
605,010
$2,212,435
$2,041,494
$1,370,117
Investment return designated for operations
TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES & SUPPORT O P E R AT I N G E X P E N S E S
Fund-raising
TOTAL EXPENSES CHANGE IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS OTHER CHANGES Investment return, net of amounts designated for operations
CHANGE IN UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS, BEGINNING UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS, ENDING
P R I VA T E S U P P O R T / 7 0 . 2 % TICKET SALES / 25.2% PUBLIC SUPPORT / 1.9% SPECIAL EVENTS / 1.6% OTHER EARNED INCOME
/ 1.1% 39
S VA D B A
VA D IT’S ABOUT
W H AT ’ S NEXT
S VA D B
2013–2014 SEASON
“ T h is is the w ay o p e r a sh ou l d be p resent ed .
Great tradition is respected, while innovation
is encouraged, so the art form remains relevant. Opera in Philadelphia is all grown up now.”
P H I L A D E L P H I A C I T Y PA P E R
Our 39th Season offers something for everyone. A landmark Verdi opera in celebration of the composer’s 200th birthday; a live HD broadcast of Opening Night; a Serbian a cappella opera in a 200-seat theater; the Spanish-influenced rhythms of Ainadamar; the shocking, unforgettable Dialogues of the Carmelites; some classic Mozart;
NABUCCO S E P T. 2 7 – O C T. 6 , 2 0 1 3
DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES MAR. 5–9, 2014
S VA D B A N O V. 2 – 7 , 2 0 1 3
SALOME M AY 8 & 1 0 , 2 0 1 4
AINADAMAR FEB. 7–16, 2014
A COFFIN IN EGYPT
Orchestra; and the East Coast Premiere of a new
D O N G I O VA N N I
JUN. 6–15, 2014
opera by one of today’s hottest composers. Join us
A P R . 2 5 – M AY 4 , 2 0 1 4
an operatic mashup with The Philadelphia
this season and see what the fuss is all about!
“ The 2013-2014 Season will have [seven] appealing operas, i n c l u d i n g G o l i j o v ’s A i n a d a m a r a n d R i c k y I a n G o r d o n’s A C o f f i n i n E g y p t , s t a r r i n g Fr e d e r i c a v o n S t a d e . ” W Q X R O P E R AV O R E
ACADEMY HOUSE 1420 LOCUST STREET SUITE 210 P H I L A , PA 19102
OPERAPHILA.ORG 215.893.3600